Cubs, an all encompassing trip

Countdown to the Deadline: Dempster Updates; You’ll Get Mad

I really tried to make it through a whole day without talking about Ryan Dempster but it’s impossible at this point, especially when more information keeps coming out. The information that is coming out is positive to start with but by the time you get to the last update you feel like you got punched in the gut and spit on, the spitting wasn’t really necessary.

Jayson Stark reported today that the Cubs and Dodgers remain optimistic that they can reach a deal involving Dempster. I can live with that news, part of me just wants this done so everyone can move on. However, Cubs fans need to be prepared that the return is not going to be what is was earlier this week.

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Executive Joel Sherman is reporting that the Cubs might want to “kick in an extra $1 million bucks” for Dempster to go to Atlanta. It’s come to this? I’m okay with it if Major League baseball is because that just sounds odd, but it’s on the internet so I believe it.

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David Kaplan reported that a Cubs/Dodgers deal is getting “close” – then shared a few details about the Braves deal that fell through, for now. Brett at Bleacher Nation had a really solid write-up, here are his thoughts.

Here’s a more completetake from Kaplan, which goes into a bit of the backstory on the Braves’ deal. The gist is, the Cubs thought they had an understanding with Dempster that they could negotiating with either the Braves or Dodgers, and then they got a better offer from the Braves. When Dempster through up a roadblock (albeit possibly temporary), asking the Cubs to try once more with the Dodgers, the Braves pulled their offer so they could explore other options. Theo was apparently furious. And that’s where we stand, as the Cubs try to get an acceptable deal from the Dodgers. The Cubs, Kap says, are trying to net a “handful” of pitching prospects, which suggests they will generally be of a lesser tier than Delgado.

Gut punch number one right there. Again it’s a report that is second-hand, but it falls in line with everything that we have heard prior, that Dempster would allow a deal to the Braves, yet when it’s put your money where your mouth is time Dempster gets “blindsided” all of a sudden.

Team Theo and Co. are looking at a number of scenarios, with sources telling me this afternoon that a multi-team trade that would send Ryan Dempster to his preferred destination, the Los Angeles Dodgers while netting the Cubs a handful of prospects built around starting pitching is getting closer to happening.

The Cubs are exhausting all options to get a deal done for a guy that said less than a month a go that he loved that he had options and he would do everything he could to help himself and the Cubs organization moving forward. I wonder if he said that while doing his Haray Caray impression, such a funny guy. But this latest joke is absolutely hilarious.

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Finally Jon Heyman adds to the dream crushing. The Cubs offered Ryan Dempster to the Dodgers for fringe top 100 prospect Allen Webster, a downgrade from Randall Delgado but a serviceable prospect for Dempster. The Dodgers said no, flat-out. Starting to sound like Dempster has alienated the Cubs, the Braves, and now the Dodgers might actually prefer Garza over Dempster, what is Dempster to do now? If I had to guess I think some sort of deal gets done tomorrow, the only reason I say that is I think someone is going to cave, Dempster or Theo and Jed. It’s horrible that it has come to this when just under a month ago it seemed like Dempster would do everything in his power to accept a deal. I understand the rules of baseball so I’ll save you the reply of “he’s earned the right.” Yes I know, but I really don’t care at this point, the act is wearing thin, and the more I see of this circus the more I think Dempster is just that, an act.

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